A Crisis With An Opportunity

What we should do when things go bad.

When the financial market is in chaos all across the world, people consider clinging on to whatever they have and also reduce expenses. And they think that everybody does so, mainly because newspapers proclaim as such.

Everyone ISN`T responding in that manner. There are many people and many ventures that flourish, whether the economy is down or not. And if you are wondering why it is so, the solution is available there where it is often likely to be overlooked. It will be a good idea to search for the answer together.

When a ‘down’ current comes, no matter what it is, the most effective solution is to rise above it. When we go with the down current we sink with the tide and have to wait, suffocating, until the tide changes.

The truth is that when we know how to steer ourselves and be our own masters, we will able to stay afloat or swim against the current, come what may. Let us see how we can manage it.

‘Go-getters’ or ‘Go-contributors’

Imagine a scenario where we want to have more – better profits, a higher salary, more leave, better liberty, and wider chances.

When we yearn for a thing, our response is to try to get it. By that yardstick everybody is a ‘Go-getter’. And a ‘go-getter’ is understood as a dynamic, enterprising person with leadership qualities. Such an attitude is a prime requirement for succeeding in life as we understand it. Nevertheless, there is an innate conundrum. When these approaches are put into practice, there are certain unanticipated, though unavoidable upshots.

The crux of the problem is that after ‘getting’ and ‘owning’ a thing, what eventually happens is ‘dropping’ it. We either actually throw it away or become indifferent to it.

And when we are tired of one thing we concentrate on getting something new. And these fresh cravings never end. The more we go in search of newer things, the wider the chain of desire that makes us continuously yearn for things. It simply becomes an addiction!

So what if we turned our ‘desire to get’ into a desire to provide?

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About B1G1 – A New Global Giving Service

Buy1GIVE1 is the home of transaction-based giving.

STOP. Take a breath. And imagine you were part of a world where every transaction made a difference.

Imagine, for example, you bought a TV, and automatically a cataract-blind child got the gift of sight. Automatically. Or imagine if today you bought a cup of coffee and someone in Africa got access to clean, pure water as a direct result. Again automatically.

It’s all happening right now. Already Buy1GIVE1 (B1G1) has become a true global giving ‘village’, bringing together businesses, their customers and worthy causes in a way that’s never been done before.

It’s happening globally, every second, every day and in every way with a staggering 556 projects already underway and making a difference.

That’s because in the Buy1GIVE1 world, every single transaction, be it buying a beer in Jamaica or renting a car in Reno (and everything in between) gives forward in a well-defined, resonant and measurable way.

Nowadays, when both corporations and charities have seen a decline in gains and contributions, cause-related marketing seems to really be catching on. Cause-related marketing is a business scheme involving a partnership between a company with a merchandise to trade and a charity with a cause to advance. As opposed to “corporate philanthropy,” which simply includes a company making a tax-deductible charitable donation, cause-related marketing benefits both the company (by helping to increase sales, and therefore, profits), and the charity (by giving donations and calling attention to the cause.)

You buy a book, a tree gets planted. You dine out, a child gets fed. Buy One Give One – simple. The list goes on forever and the giving simply happens automatically, every second, every day and in every way.

And it is beautifully simple. Buy1GIVE1 is now becoming a global movement as more and more businesses jump on board and enjoy the incredible benefits of transaction-based giving.

In Buy1GIVE1, they make it a point that in many, many cases, the consumer is not just involved in CSR initiatives on a daily basis. Buy1-Give1 gives answers to that and it does it every second, every day and in every way.

Discover more about how Buy1GIVE1 (BOGO) can transform your business using Cause Marketing. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

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A Millionaire’s Secret – Give A Piece Of Straw

A rich man born out of giving!

Given below is a mythological story from Japan about the beauty of giving to others and it tells us how we can receive the most perfect gifts when we’re giving and grateful of what we own.

Here is the story.

A long time ago, there lived a penniless young farmer. Nothing that he did turned out to be profitable. He was completely impoverished without any money, without anyone to help and nothing to eat. One night, totally at his wit’s end, he went to a shrine and sat near the altar and pleaded to Gods to show him what to do.

“I have always been sincere and industrious, but all my industriousness never became beneficial to me. Where have I gone wrong?”

He fell asleep besides the altar just after having asking his question. In the morning, as he was waking up, he saw one of the Gods in his dream surrounded by a blinding golden light. The God’s voice echoed through his mind.

“When you wake up in the morning, cherish what you have in your hand and go on giving it to others liberally as you proceed,” the God commanded.

The farmer was brimming with questions when he woke up but he tried to shake off his sleep and clear his mind of the strange but clear dream he had. However, he saw a bit of a straw in his hand. It must have remained on his clothes while he worked in his fields.

He nearly dropped it to the ground, but stopped for a moment remembering what the God said. He sat down again. And looked at the straw.

He sat for a while unable to comprehend what all that meant. He did not know how a piece of straw can turn out to be useful. Then he saw a wasp hovering around. After a while the wasp settled on one end of his straw. He caught it and with the help of a thread from his clothes, tied it to the straw. And with a wasp at the end of his straw, he went on his way.

He had gone a little way when he found a small boy and his mother coming towards him from the other end of the road. The boy was weeping. When he said hello to the boy, the child noticed the straw that the man had with a wasp at one end. He stopped his weeping and wanted to have the straw. The farmer was hesitant to give it but then he remembered that God had asked him to value what we owned and also give it to others profusely. So he gave the straw to the boy. The mother was relieved as the boy stopped crying when he got the straw and the wasp. In return she gave the man three tangerines.

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Tithing – Starting Your Stream Of Enchanting Encounters

Chronicle of Tithing

The beginning of tithing can be seen in the Bible, yet many Christians as well as non-Christians have the habit of doing some type of tithing today.

Tithe is a traditionally a Christian term that means to contribute one tenth of your income to charity or to your Church as a form of Chrch giving. However it has similarities with practices in other religious cultures. In Islam it is called ‘Zakat’. In India the Sikh religion also provides for such practice called ‘Dasvandh’ meaning one-tenth part of income to be devoted for religious purposes. Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh started this practice. In Classical Indian society the Upanisads and the Bhagavadgita commend ‘true alms’ given with a sense of duty in a fit place and at a fit time to a deserving person from whom one expects nothing in return.

The word tithe is derived from the Hebrew word ‘asair’, which means to give the tenth part of something, often of a person’s income. Today, tithes (or tithing) are normally voluntary and paid in cash. However, there are still European countries that allow the church to mandate tithing and enforce it by law.

Denmark is an example where members of the Church of Denmark pay a church tax, which varies between municipalities. The tax is generally around 1% of the taxable income. And in Finland members of state churches pay a church tax of between 1% and 2.25% of income and the Church taxes are integrated into the common national taxation system.

Anyway the custom of regular tithes was not instituted until after Exodus. Tithes were popular all across the Near East in olden days, as well as in later Lydia, Carthage and Arabia.

The Hebrew habit of tithing is recorded in the Bible, the first mention being the gift from Abraham to the Canaanite priest and king Melchizedek (Genesis–:20). Ancient Arabia, Lydia and Carthage were places where the custom of tithes existed. Tithing was implemented by the early Christian church, and had found mention in councils at Macon in 585 and at Tours in 567. They were granted formal recognition during the time of Pope Adrian I in 787.

Tithing in certain Christian churches is a disputed issue as it deals with an Old Testament process to a New Testament institution (the Church). There is no proof in the New Testament that tithing can be applied to Christians. In fact, it was obligatory only on those Jews who were living in the Promised Land to pay the tithe according to the Old Testament, as it was in reality a form of income tax required to support not just the government of the Israel of the Old Testament, but also its religious institutions and priests.

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When Making Dreams Come True Is As Easy As Brushing Our Teeth

Can making dreams come true be as easy as this? Is it possible to let go of our doubts? Can it be possible? Is it possible to do it so magically so that it could be as easy as brushing our teeth? This excerpt from the book named ONE by Masami Sato would show us how it can be done in a step-by-step manner, so that one can start walking towards one’s dreams today itself.

All of us have dreams. But all of us do not have faith in ourselves so that we can have those dreams and live them in our lifetime. In fact, the secret to have such assuredness is simple. And the reason why we hesitate so much is also straightforward.

We can now start by asking ourselves the first question..

Why do we not do the things we want to do?

Often, our thoughts stop our actions. Sometimes the more we think about it, the less we become committed to accomplish what we initially wanted to do. Because the more we think about it, we come up with more and more reasons for not doing it.

Then is it possible to be certain that we will definitely accomplish what we want to do in our life?

Yes, absolutely! For a start, let’s look at the power of habits

If we have to be present at a meeting tomorrow night, we would not be spending too much of time thinking whether we would be able to get there or not. We would not be worried about the possibility of having a car accident and failing to attend the meeting. In fact, when we go to use the toilet, we are unlikely to worry if it might be out of order.

We have so much more certainty about these types of ‘normal’ actions we take every day. They’re habits.

But, we doubt our dreams

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Discover Your ‘Giving Bumblebee’ Type

Bees are all giving by nature. They give naturally to maintain the world of abundance. But each bee actually takes a different standing in maintaining the colony as well as the flower garden. So, I thought human beings are the same. We are all naturally giving and sharing. But we often express our giving in different ways. So, here it is a ‘giving bee’ chart where you can find your bumblebee type. Watch out for the following bee analysis! The more you share your value as a giving bees, the more we can all do together to make a difference.

Check here for image: http://www.buy1-give1free.com/images/What-type-of-giving-bee-are-you-Global-Giving-Village-sml.jpg

Bumblebee type analysis

1. Change-making bumblebee

A giving bee who likes to see change – who spots every opportunity to do something better and worthwhile. A change-making bumblebee often starts up new exciting projects for others to participate in. A flexible thinker who can collaborate well with others while often taking a leadership focus in making change. Many business people and inventors are this type of giving bumblebee. They are not afraid of experiencing change.

2. Believing bumblebee

A giving bumblebee who believes in one core philosophy very strongly and inspire others to follow. Rather than changing all the time and being way too flexible, this giving bee attracts people by being solid like a rock and integral to the unwavering belief and vision. Some of the religious leaders as well as politicians are this type of giving bee. Believing bumblebees makes for a great leader who attracts masses of followers. This bumblebee also can be a great follower who strongly supports an existing belief and excites others to come together.

3. Caring and nurturing bumblebee

A giving bumblebee who may not stand out as a strong leader but often are the biggest heart focused giver. A caring and nurturing bumblebee is egoless in giving and is always first to take the giving action when seeing anyone in trouble. Though this bee seems gentle and subtle, the strong desire to give and care for others drives this giving bee to demonstrate some unbelievable giving acts. Many people who dedicate their lives to giving (volunteering, community service etc) are this type of bumblebee. Giving is more natural to them.

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